Essential uni: parent prep top 5

September already? As younger children go back to school, parents around the country breathe a sigh of relief that shoes were found and both children and P.E. kits managed to find their way into school on time. Okay, so parents are also more than happy to wave goodbye to the endless circle of breakfast, lunch, tea, repeat too!

This time of year also marks the start of a new semester for university students with eighty per cent of them choosing to live away from home, and for most this will be the first time flying the nest.

If your child is planning to live away from home for university, we’re sure you’ve already made a good start on the ‘what to take’ checklist, so we’ve put together our alternative checklist especially for budget-conscious parents. Not quite as glamorous as pineapple shot glasses and a shiny new laptop, but still as important, our list will help parents and students who plan to hang on to an accommodation security deposit or want to make sure at least some items can be re-used in semester two.

Why buy chlorine-resistant towels? Usually found in salons and spas, towels with chlorine resistance are designed to withstand tough treatment which means they stay looking good for longer. Soft and absorbent, they feel just like a regular towel but are highly resistant to chlorine and other bleach-like substances.

There no excuse for dirty, smelly dish cloths with a pack of 48 in the kitchen cupboard! Choose cloths that are made from 100% cotton so they can be thrown in the washing machine when dirty then reused – hence why our pack of 48 cloths is so popular with our restaurant customers.

Let’s face it, when furnishing student properties, comfort isn’t at the top of any landlord’s list. If your child is used to a certain level of luxury that they’re not ready to give up yet, consider offering a little something to soften the blow. These seat pads should do the trick.